Oxford draws a lot of artists, so the Bodleian Library is not a surprising place to find someone with a sketching table and project. This is local painter, Merlin Porter. While we were talking, we exchanged business cards, but not before he busied himself with his own card. What happened in that very brief moment was an instant pencil portrait of me with my camera. Coolest thing ever.

The Lunchtime Portraits are an ever expanding accumulation of portraits taken while exercising my favorite lunchtime activity …

… No, not illicit puppy-trade. Let me explain.

In 2009, when I found myself settled with an hour-long lunchtime and Oxford all around me, I found it nearly impossible to leave my camera in my bag. There couldn’t have been better moments, in any of those first given moments, and there I was, holding the camera, and it quickly dawned on me that I could do this every day. In fact, it could even be a habit! Nice.

Sometimes they are close ups, a bust shot, sometimes there is a scene being played out with several people. They’re portraits of the life that happens to pass before my eyes. Despite the daily rush of tourism, the subjects are often the people living and working in Oxford.

Those who work to keep Oxford alive and functioning, people shopping, people who mind shops or build scaffolding, or one of many who busk daily in some manner or another. Even the occasional shot of a student. The photos aren’t posed; there has never been any need. From time to time, I’ve asked for permission to take a photo, especially when I can see that it will help accomplish my goal, but not every time, and the photos have otherwise just happened. And happened, over and over again, so that the potential for the project was obvious, and five years later, I continue to have lunchtimes and I always have a camera.

Once in a while, the accompanying description doubles as an equipment review, because that’s what I was doing when I took the photo, testing equipment. What better way to get the measure of your equipment than by doing just exactly what you would do anyway? There is also at least some technical information included with most of my photos, those details I always wish to know when viewing the photography of others. If I have neglected to include anything that you had hoped to know, just ask.